Art & Life of SwarDrawS

It was a rough week mentally. At work I finally finished up the two big jobs that kept me busy for the last couple months. On Monday I got to relax. By Tuesday however, Jon passed off a "fun" job. A Flash animation which should of been fun but for some reason I began to get anxious about it.

I couldn't eat breakfast in the mornings over it. I felt the same way I did after 9-11. My stomach in a knot and no appetite. I can only explain it as chemical, I went out of whack. Now I am not out of the woods yet. I will probably find out on Tuesday that it sucks and that I suck. On Monday I am in training all day which is an anxiety attack in itself. The training is on communication. Jon who went on Friday said it was kind of intersting with only one role playing (what I am most anxious over).

On Thursday I was ready to throw in the towel on what I can cope on. I was stressing over the animation already when one of the big jobs I thought I put to bed was giving me grief and I was just not in the mood to troubleshoot it for Christine again so we had a long period on the phone of silence while she waited for me to say I would figure it out for her again.

Also during that day another bigger issue arose and it had nothing to do with my job.

Apparently RAW ran into the social worker at school. They have concerns with Hollace. They think it might be Asperger Syndrome, a form of autism. What!

I knew Hollace could use some help socializing. Especially with me as a her mother I often thought she was doomed in that department. I seen her struggling with the same things I did and still do.

At first I thought they were off base on that theory. Then I did a little research.

"The most distinguishing symptom of AS is a childâs obsessive interest in a single object or topic to the exclusion of any other." Can anyone say KIWI? That one was nailed. Lets see what else...sensory sensitivity. She won't wear jeans because they aren't confortable (a kid in her class already asked me why she never wears jeans.) That might also explain why she throws up over lumpy food. This week she complained that Brownies are to loud and the new lighted clock I got hurts her eyes. They typically are clumsy. They don't want to be bothered by anything that isn't in their interst (like I always said, Hollace can't be bothered by school)

With Hollace she is the sweetest, most loving child there could be...around us. I just read that could be a sign too. Dang. "...sometimes, the opposite problem occurs; the person with AS is unusually affectionate to significant others"

Around others I get the sense she seems a bit unpleasant. We went to Brownies this week. When we walked in a couple girls excitedly yelled Hollace!. Hollace just said a little unenthusiastic hi.

There were quite a few things on the list that Hollace exhibed. By the time I finished my quick research I was convinced that was my problem too. I often thought I was socially retarded not having a clue on how to be easy breezy like I desired. I called it shyness and it is and really that is all it could be in both of our cases.

Whether or not they label Hollace, it opens the door to get her some help which I have been wanting to do. I think she just needs "tools" on how to act or what to do in situations. Heck I need that but I really need to get her working on it ASAP before she gets branded the weird kid if it isn't already too late.

Another thing the social worker mentioned was there was this boy who was making fun of her bangs and she got angry and told him she would kill him. I have never ever heard her talk like that. They, knowing Hollace didn't take the threat seriously and didn't report it.

A meeting will be set up (soon I hope) and they will test her. We can go from there.

Posted by swardraws at 12:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hmmm, I guess I have been too lazy to write. Where have we left off? So far this year we got a new oven which now has spurn the big kitchen remodel. Well that hasn't happened yet but it need to. This oven is nice and it has bells and whistles. It has 5 burners and it convection. Now we have a big hole to fill where the slide in one was and all our pots and pans are on the counter since now the cabinet they were in was under the stovetop and that now is filled with the new range. Like I said, the kitchen remodel just moved up the priority list.

The computer got fixed, it was the logic board. I should get the reimbursement check from Visa next week. They approved it and said the check is in the mail.

After signing up for the new Brownie troop in November, I promptly forgot about it. Last week I called and took Hollace to her first official meeting. It was the special day when the Brownies got iniated. Hollace was up there with the rest of the girls but had no clue what was going on. The 4 meetings we missed, they all practiced. She survived.

This Thursday I was the volunteer mother. I had to help the girls sew their sit-upons. We are in the middle of Girl Scout cookie selling. The goal is 100 boxes and normally we wouldn't stress about it but Hollace wants the incentive gift for selling 100 which a Build a Bear bunny. I think we need to sell 7 more before the 29th.

It must be close to that time of the month where I am a bit fretful and paranoid. No real reason why, I just am.

I NEED TO FOCUS! The internet is evil.

I haven't taken any new photos lately but bought a nice messenger bag to casually carry my camera. I bought a wireless remote with some money Ann sent me for taking pictures of her daughter so I can play with self portraits.

I lost 5 lbs over the holiday. That normally doesn't happen. RAW lost 10 lbs. Cloudy gained some. Chubby little cat is Glamour Cat of the month at some cat group at Flickr. I got to pick the next 5 nominees.

Cutiepie the beta fish finally died around the time people were ringing in the new year. Hollace has been upset.

Fifteen minutes before the new year, I bumped my cool hologram watch on the wall and it stopped. Fortunately the internet place I got it fixed it. I got it back yesterday. Two other clocks died around the same time which made me wonder what kind omen that was.

Buying Littlest Pet Shops are frustrating. Apparently they are collectables and hard to find and Hollace wants them all for her birthday.

Trying to plan Hollace's birthday. She has been collecting phone numbers at school. Now someone has to call and get addresses.

I went on an internet spending spree. Got another Elliott Smith album (XO) and love it. There is only one more left to buy.

On News Years Day, I started and finished and crossed off my resolution list, organizing my paperwork. I bought a small file cabinet and filled it up. That felt good.

Oh good night

Posted by swardraws at 11:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)